The embodiments described herein relate generally to a blank and a reinforced container formed from the blank and, more particularly, to a blank having a reinforcing panel assembly configured to reinforce a corner portion of the container to produce a sag-resistant container.
Containers are frequently utilized to store and transport products. In at least some known cases, a blank of sheet material is used to form these containers. More specifically, these known containers are formed by folding a plurality of panels of the blank along preformed fold lines. To form at least some known containers, some of the panels are secured using an adhesive. Such known containers may be formed using a machine and/or by hand.
At least some such containers have certain strength requirements for storing and transporting products. These strength requirements may include a stacking strength requirement such that the containers can be stacked on one another during transport without collapsing. To meet these strength requirements, at least some known containers include reinforcing walls near the corners of the container for providing additional strength, including stacking strength. At least some known containers have reinforcing panels that are attached to an interior surface of the corners of the formed container. However, such containers can be expensive to produce with the extra reinforcing panels and are less than optimal for certain applications. For example, these known containers with extra reinforcing panels are less than optimal for storing and transporting fresh fruit or produce because the interior reinforced panels create interior edges or non-planar interior surfaces that can damage or “bruise” the produce contained in the container.